Something Strange

Location: Between the end of Broad Street, Salamanca, NY, to one block past the Allegany River on Main St.

Conditions: Overcast, light mist.

Local Time, Approx 7:15 pm. Sept 26th, slightly after dusk.

I'm up here on the Allegany Reservation on business, and I'm walking down to pick up my dinner at the local Chinese place, when I start getting this feeling I get sometimes, when I'm out investigating. It starts as I walk past the Coffee house and flower shop at the end of Broad and steadily grows as I pass the Seneca Theater, like something is out of place. I continued down the street, crossing the Main St bridge over the Allegany river, I saw an older native woman heading the other way with a strange expression on her face. As I reached the end of the bridge, I saw something strange. The streets were empty, but all the shops and street lights were lit. Even the ones with nothing in them, or broken lamps. It was like what I knew was there was being overlaid with something else.

I continued down the street and I can only describe it as being... more prosperous. I looked down River Street toward the Old Congregational Church and St Pat's and they were normal, but as I turned and looked at the Chas Nies building, there were long green drapes double hung in a two story window. I remember that detail clearly, but I'm almost certain that there are no unbricked windows on that side of the building (I'll be going back to verify in the morning). Even the Chinese restaurant looked more prosperous. When I went inside everything seemed to go back to normal, and was normal the whole way back to where I'm staying.

This was about 45 min ago, and I am cold sober, before anyone says anything.

I'm not sure how to categorize what I just saw. It reminded me of a time slip, but what it really? The stores weren’t old, they were just... better somehow. It reminded me of parts of the Oakland district in Pittsburgh, nice shops in old restored buildings. I think I even saw wrought iron benches...

Why does this never happen when I'm looking for it, but then grab me when I'm NOT looking for it?

Not really. I've had a few odd experiances where I would get a feeling something was 'off' about a place, a few times in places reputed to be haunted, sometimes not. But I havn't seen anything like this since the time down in PA with the levitating fireplace insert.

There was one thing though. I've started quietly canvassing my local contacts and no one seems to know who the woman on the bridge was, and this is strange, as the native population of the town is not very large. I'd like to find out if she saw anything herself, but frankly, the native community is drawing a big blank.

LOL my signature is Latin, not Seneca. I use it to show my distain for end of the world prophecy garbage that I see so many people spout. If the world ends, it ends. Nothing you nor I can do will stop that. So don't worry about it.

The Seneca are very freindly (except when they arn't). I've been doing computer work up here off and on.

The woman was about 5.5 foot(ish) and was wearing a dark colored coat. Her hair was dark, but her face was starting to wrinkle (light levels on the bridge sucked, so I can't say for certain what color they were). The main thing that stood out was the rather odd expression on her face, like she was surprised and somewhat mystified. I admit, I suspected on seeing her at first she might be high on something. No one has been able to ID her, and this has not recurred since.